Ice-scoring machine



Sept. 8, 192.5. v 1,553,257

` 1:. R. MILLER ICE SCORING MACHINE Filed Oct. 30, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet nvawtoz CHABLEsRMmI/m.

i wmf Sept. 8, l 925.

C. R. MILLER ICE soRING MACHINE Filed ont. 30, 1.922

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Shoe/ww Patented Sept. 8, 1925. y l

UNITED STATES 1,553,257. PATENT OFFICE. l

CHARLES R. MILLER,'0F COLLINSVILLE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 05W.

FELLOWS, R. L. GOUGHENHEIM, C. RKMEADQWS, AND J'. M. MEADOWS, ALL 0F HOUS TON, TEXAS.

Iori-scoiunal MACHINE.

Application filed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 598,046.'

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. MiLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Collinsville, in thecounty of Grayson and State ofl Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Scoring `Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention rela-tes to ice scoring machines and particularly to scoring machines for scoring blocks to meet requirements ofl thelaws relative to weights and measures; and the object is'to provide machines which will score every block of ice accurately, to provide machines which are simple `in operation, and to provide machines in whichmost of the parts operate automatically. and with speed. The advantage of the improved machine is that will score the icev vertically and horizontally, changing from vertical scoring to horizontal scoring automatically and moving or shifting the ice blocks automatically. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the inventionwill be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form apart of this application.`

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig; 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a. detail view of the ratchet shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail-view of the discharge chute, showing the springs for centrally positioning the blocks of ice therein.

Similar characters ofreference are used to indicate the same' parts throughout the several views.v f

rlhe machine is provided with pairs of uprightl frame members 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Vwhich support the machine. An additional support consists of a slab 6 which is positioned at an incline. The frame membersf3, 4, and 5 are also positioned at inclines. The slab 6 serves to'sup'port the side frame members 7 and the bars 8 which'form the 'bottom of* the ice chute for discharging the blocks of bers, -the member on the right side Vof the drawings being the elevating member and the `member on the left side of the drawings being the discharge'.member.` The discharge member has a pair of side beams 9 intermediate the upper and lower sides ofthe machine attached tothe upright members 1 and.

2, TWO longtudnalrbaams l0 and .1,1 are 3 and 5.y i An ice elevator frame 15 is provided and consists of a rectangular structure, having end bars 16 and longitudinal bars 17 attached rigidly together. The elevator is movable vertically at an incline on the inside of the pairs of'uprights 3, 4, and 5 which are inclined.

The machine is providedv with a power shaft 18 and a power pulley 19 rigid therewith to loe driven by any suitable power. This shaft 18 is driven constantly during operation and operates all other working parts. The shaft 18 is journaled in bearings 20 which are attached to the beams 10 and 11. Beveled gear wheels 21 are rigid with shaft 18 and these wheels drive the beveled gear wheels 22 which are rigid with the vertical shafts 23 which are journaled in bearings `24 which are attached to the longitudinal beams 7 and 10. Circular saws 25 are lrigid with they shafts 23 for scoring Ythe in bearings 30 which are attached to the up- -right vbeams or supports 5. The shafts 28 are provided` with circularfsaws 31 which score thev ice blocks vertically as the blocks are being elevated by the "elevator 15. The elevatorf15 is p-rov'idedwith spring guide rods 32 which vserve `to hold the ice blocks Ycent-'rallye positioned while theyTl ,are being elevated. It will be understood that such guide rods are, on both sides ofthe elevator.

lThe inclined position, of lthe elevator15 and the guide frame members therefor serve to vkeep the, ice-.blocks in thev forward position against the guide slab'6.

The elevator 15 is' raised by chains 33 which are attached to the elevator and t0 drums 34 which are rigid with shafts 35 which are journaled in bearings 36 which are attachedI to the frame members 10 and 11. Meansfor driving` the shafts are provided. y A; shaft 37 is journaled in bearings 38 which are attached to the olf-set portions 39 of the beams 10 and 11. The shaft 37 is driven from the shaft 13 by means of a power transmitting'pulley 40, belt 41 which is crossed and which runs on and drives the yfast pulley 42 on shaft 37. A pinion 43 is rigid with shaft 37 and meshes with and drives a cog wheel 44 which is rigid with p shaftl 45 which is journaled in bearings 46 which are attached tothe off-set'portions 39 of the beams 10 and 11.. A pinion 47 is rigid with shaftY 45 and meshes with and drives a cog wheel 48 which is loosely mounted on shaft 49 which is journaled in bearings 50v which are attached to beams 10 and 11. The wheel 4S has one member of a clutch' 51 integral therewith. The wheel 48 is' locked to the shaft 49 for driving purposes by the other member 52 of the clutch which is key-seated and slidable on the shaft 49. Beveled gear wheels 53 are rigid with shaft 49 and mesh with and drive beveled gear wheels 54 which are rigid with shafts 35. The clutch members 51 and 52 are thrown in and out of mesh by a bell-crank lever 55 which is fulcrumed on beam 11. A spring 56 is attached to the beam 11 and to the lever 55l and holds the clutch members in mesh. Then power is appliedl to shaft 3 by the gearing above described including the fast pulley 42, the elevator 15 is mo\f'ed upwardly 'and the gear-'ing continues to run until the Vclutch Ymembers 51 and 52 y are thrown outof mesh. The un'meshing of the clutch members is accomplished automatically by the movement of a block of ice. A tri-p `57 is suspended in the path of the ice by a shaft 53 which is journaled i'n bearings 59 which are attached to beams 10 and 11. A

crank'59" is rigid with shaft 53. vfrrod 60 is pivotally connected Vto, the crank 59 and connectedI to the lever 5 5. VWhen a block of ice slides down the ice chute on beams 8, it will strike the trip 57and this will actuate the lever 55 tollupmnesh the clutch members 5 1 and 52 so that the elevatorgearing will be released. rlhe weight of the elevator will Vreverse the gearing and let the chains 33 f unwind. from drums 34 and let the eleyator cpo go back down to` starting position. Prior to this opera-tion, the elevator gearing has been stopped from running. Guide members 61 are attached to the elevatorv 15 and slide aga-inst the upright members vv3A and 5 tohold the. blocks ofice against wabbling or shak-V ing.r The guide members'V 61 atthe entrance end of the machine receive the block of ice and one of theguides 61 serves as a tripping means for a belt shifter. A trip 62 is mounted on a rocker-shaft 63 which is journaled in bearings 64 which are attacl'ied to the frame members 4 and 5. rllhe shaft 62 is provided with a crank 65 for manual operation for shifting the belt for commencing operations. The shaft 63 is also provided with a crank 66. The belt shifter consists of a bar 67 which is slidable axially in bearings 68 which are attached to beams 10 and 11 and which carries at loop or hook 69 for engaging the belt 41. The end of the crank `66 projects loosely through the end of vthebar 67 which has an off-set portion for thisV purpose. Then the guide member 61 strikes the trip 62, the belt shifter will throw the belt 41 from the fast pulley 42 to the loose pulley 70', so that the elevator gearing will stop ruiming. A ratchet 71 on shaft 37 prevents the shaft 37 from turning backwardly.

The machine is set'at an incline so that no additional mechanism will be required after `the block of ice 74 will he' elevated and simultaneously the saws 31 will score the block of ice on both sides vertically. Prior to the starting of the ice block down the discharge chute, the trip 62V will` be actuated by the Iguide member 61 and the belt shifter will shift the belt 41 to the loose pulley 7 O and stop the elevator gearing from running. As soon as the blockV of ice is elevated high enough, sliding against the slab 6, so that the bottom of the lblock 4of ice can pass onto the chute 8, the blockV of ice will move automatically down the chute 81. Springs 73 may be attached to the uprights 7 to aid in starting the blocks of ice onto the chuteS'. 14s the block of ice passes down the discharge chute.y the saws 25 will score the block horizontally or on the sides of the block. The blocksof ice are scored in one' direction while the blocks are moving upwardly and scored in the opposite direction while the blocks are going down the chute 8.

The trip 57 and the spring 5'6 perform another function. 'l`he function above set forth was to let the elevator ge back to startino' position.V The additional function of the spring 56 acting` on' the trip 57 will retard the speed cf the ice block and prevent the block from going` tooy fast for the scoring operation by the saws 25.V The tension .of the spring 56' may be regulated as required. y

Attimes there may be portions or bumps of ice frozen on the sides of the blocks of ice. ln order that such portions of ice may not hinder the operation of the ice blocks passing through the discharge chute, the

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side members 7 may be spacedv far enough apart and springs 72 attached to the inside4V l. An ice scoring machine comprising an' elevating member and an inclined discharge member in alignment therewith, an elevator and scoring means in said elevating member, gearing for operating said elevator and saidA scoring means simultaneously, said elevating member and said dischargemember being positioned for discharging blocks of ice automatically immediately and directly after said elevating and scoring, and means for scoring blocks of ice Vhorizontally while passing by gravity through said discharge member.

2. An ice scoring machine comprising anv elevating member and an inclined discharge member in alignment therewith, an elevator and scoring means in said elevating member, gearing for operating saidgelevator and gearing for operating said scoring means simultaneously, means for automatically stopping the elevating gearing at the moment said elevator reaches its upper limit actuated by said elevator, said elevating and discharge members being positioned for immediately and directly discharging blocks of ice automatically after said elevating and scoring, and means for scoring blocks of ice While passing by gravity through said discharge member. Y

3. An ice scoring machine comprising an elevating member and an inclined discharge member in alignment therewith, an elevator and scoring means in said elevating member, gearing for operating said elevator and gearing' for operating' said scoring means simultaneously, meansY actuated by said elevatordorV automatically stopping said elevator gearing at the moment said elevator reaches its upper limit, said elevating and discharge members being positioned for immediately and directly discharging blocks of ice automatically after said elevating and scoring, means for scoring blocks of ice while passing through said discharge member, and means operatively connected with said gearing automatically actuated by blocks of ice passing through said discharge member for releasing said elevator to permit the elevator to go back to starting position.

4. An ice scoring machine comprising an elevator chute and an elevator adapted to be moved in said chute and an inclined discharge chute at right angles to said elevator chute and forming a continuous passage for blocks of ice therethrough, said chutes being linclined for causing blocks of ice to be discharged `automatically by gravity from said elevator chute through said discharge chute,

'means for elevating blocks of' ice in said elevator chute and simultaneously scoring the ice in one direction, and means for scoring the ice at right angles to the first scoring while passing through said discharge chute.

5. An ice scoring machine comprisingl an elevator chute and an elevator for operation therein and an inclined discharge chute at right angles to said elevator chute and forming a continuous passage for blocks of ice therethrough, said chutes being inclined for causing blocks of ice to be discharged automatically by gravity from said elevator chute through said discharge chute, means for elevating blocks of ice'in said elevator chute and simultaneously scoring the ice in one direction, means for scoring the blocks of ice at right angles to the first scoring While passing through said discharge chute, and means for Vrretarding the blocks of ice While passing through said discharge chute.

6. An ice scoring machine comprising an inclined elevator chute and an inclined discharge chute at right angles thereto and forming a continuous passage for blocks of ice therethrough, means for elevating blocks of ice in said elevator' chute for starting the same through Said discharge chute and simultaneously scoring the ice during the elevation thereof, yielding means for holding the blocks of ice centrally positioned in said discharge chute while passing therethrough, and means for scoring the ice at Vright angles to the first scoring while passin@V through said discharge chute.

Y An ice scoring machine comprising an inclined elevator chute and an inclined discharge chute at right angles thereto and forming a continuous passage for blocks of ice therethrough, means for elevating blocks of ice in said elevator chute for starting the same directly through said discharge chuteV and simultaneously scoring the ice during the elevation thereof, and means for scoring the ice at right angles to the first scoring while passing through said discharging chute.

In testimony whereof I set myl hand vthis 26th day of October, 1922. v

` CHARLES R. NIILLER. 

